That was the Seahawks' plan last year after losing Josh Brown during free agency to the NFC West rival St. Louis Rams. They would sign a veteran (Mare). They would add a rookie (Coutu, in the seventh-round of the draft). They would let them kick it out during training camp.

That's where the best-laid plans collided with the worst-case scenario: Neither kicker clearly separated himself from the other.

While Mare consistently displayed the stronger leg, Coutu made each of his seven field-goal attempts in the preseason.

Another factor: Mare was coming off hip surgery that prematurely ended his 2007 season with the New Orleans Saints, and Coutu was the just-in-case option.

"There was a lot of talk about him (around the league), and we thought we should hang onto him until the trade deadline (in mid-October)," club president Tim Ruskell said. "After the trade deadline, there was never any pressure that we had to have another roster spot, so we kept Brandon as insurance."

So, two kickers it was -- despite 14 players going on injured reserve and 26 missing a combined 163 games because of injuries.

"Having a guy the whole time hoping you miss or mess up so he can get in there is tough," Mare said. "On the other hand, it also shows how mentally strong you are. I proved that, and proved I'm back to what people expect of me."

Other teams carry two kickers --one to kick off and attempt longer field goals, the other to handle shorter three-pointers and PATs. But Coutu never attempted a kick. Heck, he never was active for a regular-season game.

That's because Mare never left him even the hint of an opportunity. He converted 89 percent of his field-goal attempts (24 of 27) and each of his 30 PATs. Mare also had 22 touchbacks on his kickoffs, which tied for the second-highest total in the league.

This unorthodox two-kicker approach can't continue. Can it?

"Is Brandon coming back for training camp? Right now, he is," Ruskell said. "I understand why people would question why we had two kickers."